XBox 360

The Xbox 360 is a video game console developed by Microsoft in cooperation with IBM, ATI, Samsung and SiS. It succeeds to the Xbox, and competition, in line with the seventh generation consoles, with Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3. On 30 Septembers 2013, 78.2 million copies were sold worldwide.

It was in 2003 that the development of the new version of the Xbox started under the code name “Xenon”. Several definitive names were advanced for this new version include Xbox Next, Xbox 2, Xbox FS, Xbox HD or Nextbox6 before finally, the official name is Xbox 360. The official presentation took place May 12, 2005 on MTV.

Released a year before the competition, the Xbox 360 marks the entrance into the age of high definition and wireless controllers. Eager to take maximum lead over its direct competitor Sony, Microsoft decided to release its console as early as possible, and especially not to miss the year-end holidays. Released in November 2005 in the United States and December 2 in Europe and Japan, Xbox 360 makes the first global launch of a console in video game history, under the direction of Pierre Delattre. This output has experienced some inconveniences, such as stock-outs in the US and Europe, the Red Ring Of Death and late restockings. The Microsoft console has been given a very frosty reception by the Japanese public (less than 40,000 consoles sold during the month of December).